Matador Women’s Kickoff a Success : Soccer: Northridge program starts on the right foot with two goals in the first 10 minutes of a 3-0 victory over Azusa Pacific.

The inaugural season for the Cal State Northridge women’s soccer team began at 7:05 p.m. Saturday when the Matadors kicked off against Azusa Pacific.

It took all of 10 minutes for the program to lock up its first victory.

Northridge scored twice in that time and didn’t look back on the way to a 3-0 victory.

“I thought we’d be more nervous,” said Northridge Coach Brian Wiesner. “I told them to go out and run around like crazy for the first five minutes and then settle down, but we played with intensity the whole game.”

The Matadors outshot the Lady Cougars, 23-1, and weren’t seriously threatened in their end of the field.

Chief among Northridge’s weapons were senior transfers Rachel Gagliano, Kristen Johnson and Wendy Nakashima.

Gagliano, a standout at Monroe High and Moorpark College, dominated the field from the opening whistle, running through and sliding by Azusa Pacific defenders.

Johnson, who last played at De Anza College, and Nakashima, a transfer from Cal State Dominguez Hills, worked a series of intricate passes and physical runs with Gagliano.

“That’s what we wanted to do with [Azusa Pacific],” said Wiesner, who scouted the Lady Cougars in their final intrasquad scrimmage on Thursday. “We split our forwards wide and went up the middle. Rachel, Kristen and Wendy don’t panic with the ball; they’re in charge of the game.”

Gagliano was brought down by a pair of Lady Cougar defenders eight minutes into the match as she received a direct kick by Nakashima in front of the Azusa Pacific goal. She converted the ensuing penalty kick.

“I think we were moving the ball well up to that point but [a penalty kick early] always knocks down a young team,” said Azusa Pacific Coach Bobby Quattlebaum, whose team is ranked No. 20 in the NAIA preseason coaches’ poll. “Those three midfielders really hurt us. We didn’t know who to cover.”

Northridge struck again two minutes later when senior midfielder Cara Tubbs controlled the ball in the corner to the left of the Azusa Pacific goal and fed a pass to sophomore forward Becky Andrews on the left side of the penalty area. Andrews scored from 25 yards.

The Matadors’ final goal came in the 33rd minute. Gagliano took a throw-in from sweeper Maricca Pichaikul on the right sideline, beat a defender and drilled a left-footed shot into the net.

“I think we’re clicking real well considering that we’re just starting out,” Johnson said.

“We’ve been together a lot of hours these last two weeks and it feels like I’ve been playing with some of these guys for a whole season already.”